Archive for the 'Dustin Penner' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

ANAHEIM – The mere matter of minutes that took Dustin Penner from a top-line winger about to hit the ice for a Ducks practice to leaving Honda Center as a member of the Washington Capitals were something he called a “whirlwind” and “surreal.”

And Penner, who can take a situation and offer his unique spin on it, then said his March 4 trade before the deadline was “an out-of-body experience.” Blindsided by the deal, it is fair to say he’s still processing it in a way nearly two later as he returns to Anaheim when the Capitals face the Ducks on Tuesday.

“Both feet hadn’t touched the ice yet,” Penner recalled, discussing the moment when he was pulled off to be notified by Ducks general manager Bob Murray that he was sent to the Capitals for a fourth-round pick.

The Ducks then used that to obtain defenseman Stephane Robidas from Dallas. Penner said the interaction with Murray was short and quick.

ANAHEIM -- Maybe the Ducks' Bob Murray is true in claiming that he isn't swayed by what other Western Conference contenders have done or will do ahead of Wednesday's NHL trade deadline.

But the general manager of the NHL's top team wasn't going to sit idly by. Murray took a big cut and connected with a flurry of deals Tuesday -- and might be ready to take an even bigger swing.

The Ducks acquired veteran defenseman Stephane Robidas from Dallas and sent left wing Dustin Penner to Washington and goalie Viktor Fasth to Edmonton in separate transactions. And they may not be done.

It is believed that the Ducks are trying to acquire Vancouver center Ryan Kesler, whom they would like to form a one-two punch in the middle with Hart Trophy candidate Ryan Getzlaf. Other possible options are Buffalo's Matt Moulson and the New York Islanders' Thomas Vanek.

But Kesler is seen as their clear top target. The price would be steep but the Ducks have several young forward prospects along with two first-round and two second-round picks in the draft this June. Murray said Tuesday that "there's never a final move."

ANAHEIM -- There is a new face that will continue to line up beside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on the Ducks' top line.

Jakob Silfverberg got the assignment Tuesday night and it appears he will remain there on the left side when the Ducks take on the Edmonton Oilers on Friday at Honda Center.

"I don't know how long it'll last," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said Thursday. "I thought they played pretty good together the other night. Want to try them again."

It appears the spot is up for grabs as Dustin Penner was moved to a line with Mathieu Perreault and Teemu Selanne during practice. Penner was scratched for the second time in the last five games.

After a month of solid offensive production, Penner has just one point -- a Dec. 15 goal against Edmonton -- in his last nine games played. Boudreau downplayed his recent decisions with the big winger, whom he has had to prod at times.

CHICAGO -- Mark Fistric has three goals in 293 NHL games over seven seasons so it is cause for celebration any time one of his shots finds the net.

Imagine how Fistric felt when he threw the puck in off Chicago rookie goalie Antti Raanta to give the Ducks an overtime victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks on Friday night.

Now imagine how the defenseman felt when his goal was disallowed.

“It’s depressing because those don’t come very often for me,” Fistric said. “To be in Chicago, in overtime when I don’t normally get a shift and to be out there and get the goal and have it disallowed, it doesn’t feel great.

“What does feel great is the two points. That’s really all that matters.”

PHILADELPHIA -- Columbus forward Brandon Dubinsky will not face supplemental discipline for his hit on center Saku Koivu during the Ducks' 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

Dubinsky was given a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct after catching Koivu up high with a hit during the final minute of the second period.

TSN hockey reporter Bob McKenzie posted onto his Twitter account Monday that the NHL, which reviews all plays in every game, determined that Dubinsky's hit on Koivu was body-on-body and that contact with his head was incidental.

Koivu did not return to the game and the Ducks announced Monday that he has been sent back to Anaheim to undergo further evaluation from the team's medical staff because he was knocked unconscious, as per protocol for such occurrence.

It is possible that Koivu could return to the Ducks at some point on the remainder of their road trip if he is not suffering from concussion-like symptoms. The Ducks play in Philadelphia on Tuesday, the fifth stop of their season-long eight-game swing that ends Monday in New York.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Weeks of working himself back into the position where he could contribute to the Ducks were blown aside by one blindside hit and that has Dustin Penner irritated.

Penner rejoined the Ducks on Sunday and went through a lengthy skate after the majority his teammates left the ice to prepare for their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It has been seven days since Penner was knocked out by Dallas winger Ryan Garbutt and left with a concussion. The symptoms dissipated and the big forward was able to skate in Anaheim before traveling back east on Saturday.

But Penner must also keep close watch that the symptoms don’t recur and the fact he needs to do all this rubs him the wrong way.

“There’s quite a few factors that play into the frustration,” Penner said. “Obviously the hit itself, I felt it was needless. And the uncertainty that comes with having a concussion. All the hard work I’d put in prior to where I was at that point in the year.

The NHL announced Monday that Dallas Stars forward Ryan Garbutt is slated to have an in-person hearing with the league's Department of Player Safety as a result of his hit on Ducks winger Dustin Penner on Sunday night.

Penner was knocked out briefly before regaining consciousness on the ice but needed to be assisted off the ice by Ducks trainer Joe Huff and teammates Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf after Garbutt leveled him with a high hit at 5:28 of the second period.

Television replays showed Garbutt appearing to make contact with his shoulder to Penner's head and leaving his feet to make contact with the winger. Garbutt had just exited the penalty box and headed toward Penner after serving two minutes for slashing.

Penner did not accompany the Ducks on their flight to Toronto, with the Ducks saying that he is remaining in Orange County to undergo more evaluation and tests.

Because the league offered him an in-person hearing as provided by the collective bargaining agreement with the players, Garbutt could face a suspension of more than five games but is not guaranteed to be discipined.

DENVER -- Dustin Penner was dropped from the top line to the fourth in recent practices and has now found himself dropped out of the Ducks' lineup altogether.

Penner is a healthy scratch for the Ducks' season opener Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. A poor training camp is at the root of his early demotion after signing a one-year, $2-million deal to great fanfare this summer.

Instead of reuniting with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry after having great success with the two when they came up together in 2005, Penner is watching Patrick Maroon skate in that prime top-line spot.

Following the team's morning skate at Pepsi Center, Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau was already pushing the notion that the team isn't already giving up on Penner before the season begins. The feeling is the big winger still needs to work his way into peak condition.

"We really are counting on Dustin to be a big part of this club," Boudreau said. "I just think you have to reward certain people for having good training camps. And you have to make a point of if you don’t have a great training camp, that this isn’t just given to you [or] everything's given to you."

Dustin Penner is the only NHL player to have won Stanley Cups with the Ducks and Kings, and now the burly winger becomes the latest to prove true an old adage.

You can go home again.

The Ducks have brought back Penner into their fold on Tuesday as they signed him to a one-year contract worth $2 million, hoping he can rekindle the great chemistry he developed with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry six years ago.

Penner became a free agent when the Kings opted not to re-sign him after the 2012-13 shortened lockout season. He had two goals and 12 assists in 33 games while providing another three goals and two assists in 18 postseason contests.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray has had Penner's return in mind since last season but the power forward opted to stay with the team he just won a title with, which ironically he didn't do in the summer of 2007 when he left for a big-money deal in Edmonton.